The Witness
by allblue95
Summary: Sometimes you see things you're not supposed to see, always by accident of course. Stansfield/Oc Rated T now, might change to M in later chapters.
1. The Wings That Get You High

"_Good god you're coming up with reasons  
Good god you're dragging it out  
Good god it's the changing of the seasons  
I feel so raped  
So follow me down " _

The song Fake It of the band Seether boomed in Alexa's ears from the pair of black headphones she was wearing while cleaning her very messy apartment. She always blamed the mess on the smallness of the place, while any sane person wouldn't have had any trouble at all keeping everything in order but Alexa was nowhere near normal, hence the constant mess. The dark haired woman of 29 was currently attacking her not so fluffy carpet with the hoover, trying to remove the tiny pieces of glass she'd noticed the day before. How they'd gotten there, well that was a complete mystery.

Alexa Rivers was professional safe cracker that occasionally worked for the police to crack safes that their people couldn't, but she mostly did jobs for companies that make them and needed someone to test them. She spent all her free time with a pair of headphones on and music in her ears, no matter what she was doing. She spent her time alone since she had long since realized that her and the opposite sex just didn't get along, so not having a boyfriend or that many friends made her life pretty lonely. Not that she ever spent it much thought, she hadn't felt lonely in years, she had her music.

" Finally! At last something going my way."

Her war with the glass pieces stuck in her carpet was finally settled, she coming out on top. Alexa's morning had not started well. First, she was woken up at five just to be told that her job for the day got canceled, then when she tried to go into the bathroom she hit her head in the door. Ten minutes later in the kitchen she had burned her left hand on the tea water, leaving a nasty burn on the back of her hand and wrist. Why did she have to be so clumsy in the morning? She turned off and stuffed away the hoover in a closet, now fully intent on spending her day at the record store. She grabbed her black sweater, pulling it over her lithe form, careful with her bandaged hand. Just as she was about to exit she thought she heard someone outside. She pulled out one of the headphones and pressed her ear to the door. She heard two voices behind it, but from the footsteps echoing in the hallway she guessed there were at least four people out there.

" I like these calm little moments before the storm. It reminds me of Beethoven. Can you hear it? It's like when you put your head to the grass and you can hear the crawling, you can hear the insects. Do you like Beethoven? "

That unfamiliar voice was alluring and smooth, and Alexa found herself glued to the door in case it would sound again. But the voice that answered was a lot gruffer and not pleasant at all.

" I really couldn't say."

" I'll play you some. "

Just then she heard what sounded like a gun being fired and someone taking loud steps that faded slightly with each step, the person probably walking into one of the neighbor apartments. _' Probably the family across the hall.' _She went away from the door a few moments to pick up her sheath knife that lay on the table, putting it in her right pocket. Just in case something happened. As she neared the door again and stopped to listen, but it was now quiet in the hall. Alexa let go of the breath she didn't even know she was holding and picked up her Mp3, turning on Remedy by Seether just as she opened the door. She closed and locked it behind her. As she turned around she pulled up her black hair with blue bangs in a ponytail, walking with slow and quiet steps so that if there was anyone around they wouldn't notice her. After w few steps she walked by a door that stood wide open, but no one was visible inside. She heard voices from inside and carefully took a step closer. All of a sudden two men came around the corner inside the apartment, one of them holding a plastic bag with white powder inside. _' Drugs?' _ The word echoed through Alexa's head as the men continued walking towards her, talking between themselves but not noticing her yet. It was then she recognized the wonderful voice she'd heard before, and it came from the very man that held the white powder, clad in a beige suit.

" I told you it was still in the apartment. But now we need to find a new hiding spot til the next delivery. Maybe we could-"

In that second DEA Officer Norman Stansfield looked up and saw the dark haired woman staring at him like a deer in headlights, and he looked between her and the cocaine in his hand, only one thought passing through his mind. _' Shit, a witness.' _ He handed the powder over to his partner, the shotgun still in his possession and resting safely by his side. He saw her eyes darting between him, the powder, the shotgun and back to him, panic evident in her bright eyes. He raises his hands slightly to show that he's not going to hurt her, but the second he takes another step towards her she bolts, heading for the stairs. Alexa hear a loud " Fuck! " behind her but keeps on running, the music loud in her ears. The chorus give her a boost as she takes the steps two at a time.

"Frail, the skin is dry and pale, the pain will never fail  
And so we go back to the remedy  
Clip the wings that get you high, just leave them where they lie  
And tell yourself, "You'll be the death of me" " 

She squeaked as the gun fired and the bullets hit the wall beside her. She runs faster but despite the music and over the music she can hear loud footsteps right behind her. She jumps the last steps and pushes violently out the door, but as she turns to head down the street she feels a white searing pain in her side. She ignores it and concentrates on running, hoping that she know the neighborhood better than the 'crazy men with the guns'. She turns a corner and disappear into the market, then into an alley where she stops to look behind her. She sees no one but keep on running anyway, deeper into the city towards the hotel district.

XXXX

An hour later Alexa is checked in on ' Duet Hotel' under the false name of Kim Taylor. She doesn't dare go to the hospital, since that would probably be their first place to look. _'Who the shit were those guys? I'll have to be careful with where I go now. And I'll have to move. Damn what a mess!' _Alexa got up from the bed where she'd spent the last ten minutes in shock and moved to the bathroom to have a look at her side that was throbbing painfully. As she removed her shirt and looked in the mirror she gasped. The shotgun had grazed her side and it now looked horribly torn and blood ran down her waist to her leg. She got completely undressed so she wouldn't soil any more of her clothes and stepped into the shower, after all it would probably be the most effective way to get it clean. After a few painful minutes of scrubbing it was finally clean and Alexa stepped out of the shower, once again surveying the damage in the mirror. It was then she noticed a hard bump beneath the skin close to the wound and as she looked closer she realized it was one of the small bullets from the shotgun that had lodged itself in the skin. _' I'll never get it out by myself. I need help with this. But who would know how to remove a bullet?' _Alexa pondered on this for a few moments before remembering that the only friend she had that she would trust enough was afraid of blood, she would faint if she saw this. But if she was going to do it herself then she would need a forceps, and there was none in the cabinets. She only found a roll of bandages but it would not help her get the small piece of metal out of her skin, she would have to buy one herself. But it would have to wait a few days until some of the heat went away, and she could roam the streets again. As the dark settled in the sound of rain pattering against glass could be heard, creating a calm but depressing atmosphere. That night Alexa went to sleep with a tight, anxious knot in her stomach. _'What the hell have I gotten myself into this time?' _

DEA Officer Norman Stansfield inspected the drops of blood left on the asphalt, the only proof that the mysterious dark haired woman had ever existed. He sighed and rose to his full height again, one of his subordinates standing behind him.

" Hey Stan, do you want help man? With finding her I mean."

The man twitched his fingers nervously, and with good reason too. His boss could be very unpredictable when he was angry or frustrated, especially if it wasn't long ago since he popped one of those pills, then he could be down right scary. But Stansfield just sighed and reached for his headphones.

" No, I wanna do this my way. Now go and make yourself useful and don't disturb me, I need to think. " The lower ranking man left his boss alone, knowing better than to interrupt him when he was listening to one of his beloved composers.


	2. Author's Note

Hello everyone!

I know I've been horribly rude by not updating this story, but I've had to prioritise and when I finally had the time I didn't have any inspiration.

But now I am telling you this.

I will Update!

It might take just a little while longer still, I need to complete the next chapter and all, don't want to disaapoint, but I really like writing this story. So just bear with me, for I will return!

Your incredibly slow working but faithful writer/

Allblue95


	3. Dead Answer

Hello again! It is with great pleasure and a lot of laziness that I present to you : The second chapter!

Please continue reviewing, it kicks me in the butt and reminds me I need to actually post the chapters I write. :P

/Allblue95

P.S: The bits of lyrics used in this chapter come from Nickel Creek's song 'When in Rome'. :D.S.

* * *

_Where can a sick man go  
When he can't choke down the medicine,  
The old Doc knows.  
A specialist came to town, but he stays at home,  
saying no one knows, so I don't, Honey, when in Rome. _

Alexa woke with a painful groan, hands clutching the sheets tangled around her pale limbs. Sheets that at some points were oddly wet, sort of sticky. Eyes shooting up in sudden panic a yelp escapes her lips as she falls to the floor in the process of trying to escape the sticky sheets, failing miserably. Another pained wimper as her body hits the floor and she feels for the wound in her side, the small piece of steel still imbedded in her flesh and if she wasn't trying to stay positive she would say it's sunk in even deeper than it originally was.

"Shit,shit,shit,shit, SHIT! Fuck,piss, arse, hell and the devil's stinkin' hole." The colorful and occasionally home made string of curses kept flowing until she was free to move without constriction of the blasted sheets and was able to amble her way to the bathroom. When she peeled away the wet-with-blood bandages she cleaned and got a good look at the wound. To her relief it didn't look infected, then again she was no expert but she thought she would be able to tell when a wound was infected.

The bandages were bled through and ruined and Alexa came to the conclusion that she must have turned a lot during the night. The memory of ice-blue eyes pierced through her brain and she shuddered even as the warm water from the shower head tumbled down her back. Pulling on her clothes, that thankfully were dark enough to hide the red stains at her left side, she put the sheets in the trash and headed out to hunt for a pair of forceps.

Unfortunately for her at the same time one Norman Stansfield was searching for her, clad in a new beige suit since his other one had to be disposed of. He was still feeling angry about that, that bastard ruined a perfectly good suit. But back to the girl, the girl with the black hair with blue bangs, an interesting choice. He wondered what part he'd hit, the blood on the pavement had to be hers, who else's? If he was lucky at least one bullet had stuck in the wound, if not, she got away with a small scratch. But if lady luck Was on his side she would be looking for some type of first aid, tweezers maybe, bandages no doubt. She probably,hopefully, didn't have anyone she would or could trust in this kind of situation, judging by her apartment Stan had sniffed around it yesterday, she seemed to be quite the loner. Hotel it is then! One last thing, how far can she have ran off to before she felt marginally safe or until she got too tired to go on? He thought she'd ran east but he couldn't be sure, she could have changed directions. But if she kept on that side of the town-. Something inside him fell into place, a contented smile spreading across his lips. He knew _exactly_ where she was.

_Grab a blanket, sister, we'll make smoke signals._  
_Bring in some new blood_  
_It feels like we're alone._  
_Grab a blanket, brother, _  
_so we don't catch cold from one another_  
_Oh, I wonder if we're stuck in Rome._

Forceps, bandage, first-aid kit, extra antiseptic, surgical tape, scalpel, thank god she hadn't left her apartment without her wallet yesterday, otherwise she'd be royally screwed. Standing in queue at the pharmacy with security cameras up above had never bothered her before but now she found her palms getting sticky with cold sweat and she almost jumped out of her skin when the cashier called her forward. Packing and paying for the items she quickly exited and began walking back to the hotel. She knew it was a stupid move to go back but she was not feeling so good and she didn't have time to find and then check into a new hotel before fixing herself up. Remove the bullet and bandage the thing, then she could get the hell out of there. Throwing a glance behind her shoulder as she entered she hurried to the elevator, ignoring the receptionist's cheery 'hello'.

Heading straight for the bathroom Alexa immediately threw her bloody sweater to the floor, t-shirt following next, now clad in her bra alone she inspected the wound in the mirror, running a finger over the bulge that was the bullet. Bending down she put the supplies on the bathroom counter. Soaking a wad of cotton she went for cleaning the wound, stopping just before she reached it, a noise outside reaching her ears. Taking slow deliberate steps towards the living room she stopped in the bathroom doorway, listening intently. After a few seconds she gave up and turned back to the sink, oblivious to the door that now swung around to reveal a beige clad figure hidden behind it.

One step,two step, gun waiting in it's holster, ready.

If Alexa's brain hadn't warned her that the beige speck of color in the corner of her eye weren't there before she would have found her face pressed to the mirror in front of her just seconds later but thankfully to her her brain recognized the figure and she soon had the just-bought scalpel in her hand, hazel-green meeting ice-blue as she turned.

As their eyes met Stan instantly decided that she was no deer, judging by the scalpel clutched in that hand of hers. _'Small hand' _he corrected himself, compared to his own they looked positively tiny. Tempted to look down and inspect the size of his hands just to prove his thought process was correct he resisted the urge, there was no time for that at the moment. _'Focus!'_

"So, this is where you've been hiding. I knew you couldn't fly far with your wing bleeding." He gestured to her side. Alexa almost shivered at the sound of his voice but chose to narrow her eyes as she caught his little joke.

" What do you want? "

"Come now, there's no reason to be worried." He took a fraction of a step closer and she immediately backed one step.

"Uh-huh, and I'm Johann Sebastian Bach." She watched his lips twitch into a small smile, some of his teeth visible making him look more like a smirking predator that a man amused by clipped sarcasm. His eyes turned to the sink where she'd dropped the wad of cotton, and back to her. She wasn't stupid, he'd give her that. But smarts wouldn't be enough, not this time. He carefully moved his hand towards his trusted gun.

"You can't kill me. " His eyebrows raised, he was clearly amused this time. Alexa wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to the almost childish glint that appeared in his eyes as she spoke, like a kid receiving a lollipop on a wednesday, pleasantly surprised. _'Is this a fucking game to him?' _

"Really? Enlighten me, sweetheart, why?"

" The cops know where I live, who I am, what I do for a living. They see me every week. If I stopped showing up for work they would take notice. Someone would come looking for me and your plan would shatter in a million pieces. They would see the connection, and they would find you. You can't kill me." Stan stood stock still for nearly a minute until he finally spoke.

" You work for the police?" Alexa nodded cautiously. "That's funny, so do I." Face paling she took another step back as the pieces fell into place. His eyes still held that sick amusement.

" D.E.A."

"Norman Stansfield, at your service. " He did a small mock bow and took a step forward at the same time. And another. And another. Alexa tried backing away but felt the cold tile of the bathroom wall against her bare back. Remembering her attire, or rather lack of , she resisted the blush that threatened to take over, now was not the time to be modest. He kept advancing.

" Don't come near me." Paying her no mind he kept coming closer until he stood well within arms reach, hands at his sides ready to act. He stood completely still for a moment, eyes running her up and down, taking in her appearance properly for the first time today. Ice-blue met hazel-green once more before his hands came into play.

Swiftly grabbing her armed hand he twisted the wrist, making her release the scalpel with a pained yelp, before gathering both hands in one of his larger ones, pulling them above her in a harsh movement that got him a quiet whimper. He'd been correct, she had tiny hands compared to him. His other hand came to rest against her wound, not pressing or stroking, it just lay against it. Alexa stilled completely at the feel of his hand over the wound, he could make this really painful for her if he wanted to.

She felt the heat from his body seeping through his white shirt and resisted the urge to shudder, her mind scolding her body for suddenly acting like a horny teenager. He seemed to be thinking it all over, his eyes keeping her own prisoner. He craned his head slightly to the side, the bones giving a sickening pop. His fingers had started drumming against her bruised skin, a very precise beat, almost like he was playing a piano piece, but he seemed conveniently oblivious to the small stabs of pain it gave her. She saw his eyes light up and the breath caught in her body, this was it, she was so dead.

" You're coming with me. " _'What?' _She felt his hands release her, going for the small band-aids instead, swiftly pressing one over the wound before handing her her sweater. For a moment she just stood there as he inspected the rest of the medical supplies, deciding if anything was worth bringing with them, seemingly reaching a negative conclusion as his eyes came back to hers.

" What do you mean I'm coming with you? "

" I suppose you would call it abduction, but I simply call it...insurance of safety. " He saw her eyes hardening.

"Mine or yours?" At this he simply smiled coldly at her before running his eyes down her body again, brow creasing slightly before one lifted.

" You sure you want to go out dressed like that? Or shall I say, undressed?" This time she couldn't hide the scarlet blush that spread across her face like wildfire. Quickly pulling her sweater over her head she glared at him through her bangs.

He walked ahead of her to the door to the hallway, holding it open for her.

"After you." Alexa took slow steps, she felt like she was walking to her execution. Eyes darting around for a possible escape route she noticed his hold on the door was very loose, it would be easy breaking it. But could she run? She got closer and closer to the door, and she decided that yes, yes she could.

As she was about to walk past him out the door she suddenly grabbed it and roughly slammed it to his forehead, knocking him on his ass, and she ran. It hurt like a bitch, but she ran. She rounded a corner, in hope that the small head-start she had would be enough, that hope was quickly obliterated as she was suddenly tackled to the ground. Letting out a something between a growl and a yell she struggled to get out from beneath the other form but soon felt her hands restrained behind her back by big hands and soon she was pulled upright and her front slammed into a wall to her left.

" That was stupid." Alexa bit her lip as she gasped quietly, that voice alone was dangerous to her sanity, not to mention when it was right by her ear. She felt his breath against the side of her neck and it was then she realized how close he was. " You got guts sweetheart, I'm impressed, but I'm afraid that's not enough. You know who I am and what I've been up to, but you work for the cops so I can't just dispose of you like I usually would. You're a witness, and it has just cost you your privacy." Her brow furrowed at this.

"The hell does that mean?" He let go of her wrists and turned her around, ice-blue eyes glinting as he slightly towered over her.

" It means, and here's the big news, you're looking at the man you're gonna be living with for the rest of your life."

_Where can a dead man go?  
A question with an answer only dead men know.  
But I'm gonna bet they never really feel at home,  
If they spend a lifetime learning how to live in Rome... _

* * *

_Please Review! :D  
_


	4. Message from the author

Hello,

I am taking a minute to write this message. If this video has somehow escaped your notice, watch it! Here is the link. I felt compelled to pass this along so I'm passing it along to you guys, whoever you are who's reading this. Show everyone you know if they haven't seen this video, even if you find it misleading or doubt it, everyone should at least see it and make their own interpretations. Personally I'm not too sure if this is all bullshit or actually genuine, but it's still worth watching. That's all. I DO NOT want to start a whole debate about this video,that does not interest me, I merely wanted to pass it on becuse I felt like it.

.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

As for my stories,I will update again, just be patient with me. :) I'm busy studying at the moment but soon, soon.

/Allblue95


	5. Till they're sore

Hello again! I've finally kicked myself in the butt and written another chapter. Hope you like it!

The lyrics come from Tom Waits's _Tango til they're sore._

* * *

"_Well ya play that Tarantella_

_All the hounds they start to roar_

_And the boys all go to hell._

_They drive along the pipeline_

_They tango till they're sore_

_They take apart their nightmares_

_And they leave them by the door."_

" Ah,home sweet home, huh?"

Alexa just glared at him as they passed the threshold to his condo. _'A quite large condo'_ Alexa noted, _'he must be on a decent paycheck'_ Her thought stopped there as she wasn't sure if his 'paycheck' had legal grounds or not, and she wasn't sure if she truly wanted to know the whole story, apart from the bits she already knew. The place looked homey enough for a corrupt cop. He walked past her, heading for another room.

" Come over here, we gotta get that metal out of you before it makes itself a home." Raising an eyebrow Alexa looked at him in a disdainful manner. Headed for the bathroom then, Alexa would guess.

" For some reason I seriously doubt your concern for my wellbeing. " Stan turned to look at her on his route to the bathroom.

Now why is that? I need you alive and well, can't have you dying on me for such a silly reason as an infection. That would raise even more questions when the coroner gets his hands on you. Now come on, or do you want me to bandage you up with the bullet still inside? It's up to you. " All of this was said in an unnervingly calm manner, like he was reporting the weather, and Alexa felt a shiver trickle down her spine. _'This is so not good' _ Contemplating the front door once more she briefly calculated her chance for survival if she ran now. She didn't like them. Then her mind stumbled upon something in what he'd just said. _'"When" the coroner gets his hands on me?'_

" It's only a matter of time, isn't it? " Stansfield looked back at her as he removed his jacket, hanging it neatly over a chair. " What is?" Alexa looked at him, a mix of fear and partially subdued anger written on her face.

" Before you kill me and I end up in a mortuary. " He winced at the word kill, now turning fully to look at her properly, smiling that predatory smile again. " I slipped up, didn't I?" The expectant look on his face told Alexa that he actually wanted her to answer that, so she settled for nodding her head, now even more worried. His gaze was completely fixated upon her now, and he stood stock still. Two minutes went by, and the amused look on his face had disappeared without a trace. She saw his eyes travel up and down her body, until it settled on her left arm.

Stepping closer to her she backed away out of instinct. His eyes seared hers for a few intense seconds, rooting her to the spot, until he resumed his advancement until he stood well within her personal space, it seemed to be a recurring habit of his. Eyes still settled on hers he traced her entire left arm from her shoulder and down until he reached her wrist which he brought up for closer scrutiny. It was only when he brought it up to chest height that she remembered the burn she still had there. She looked up at Stansfield who was looking at her hand.

" How did this happen? " A finger lightly traced the irritated wound. Alexa swallowed. " I spilt hot water on it yesterday morning. Why would you care? " She tried to command her muscles to move her hand out of his soft grasp but they just wouldn't do it. Stansfield ignored her. " You put any ice on it afterwards?" " Uh, no I... I didn't think it looked that bad. " Suddenly she found herslef being dragged towards and into a large bathroom. Alexa realized what was going to happen once he was satisfied with her hand. _'Oh that thought just sounded wrong on so many levels.'_ She tried to step away from him but the movement clearly upset Stansfield, and he put his thumb over the painful skin, resting it there like he had rested his hand on her other wound earlier.

He rummaged for a few seconds through one of the cupboards until he produced what Alexa guessed to be some sort of anti-septic salve. A few seconds went by as he seemed to consider something, his fingers once again playing a silent piano piece on the unharmed skin on her wrist. Alexa could feel her heart beating quicker, almost matching the fast rhythm of his fingers. His fingers stopped abruptly, now resting against the inside of her wrist, and Alexa realized he was taking her pulse! Abruptly she snatched her wrist away, ignoring the slight scratch of his thumbnail against her burn. Stansfield smiled knowingly at her. Alexa glared. Neither of them moved for one minute, and then Stansfield finally broke the eye contact and put the salve down to unbutton his cuffs and roll up his sleeves. He soon brought out more anti-septic, but this time in a more liquid form, and some cotton. Then came the long tweezers, and Alexa shuddered at the sight, she thought she could feel the bullet pressing against her skin like it too was panicking.

" You need to take off your shirt. " Alexa's glare intensified. He looked at her with an almost innocent expression. " I can't get to the wound, and the bullet, if you don't. " She crossed her arms across her chest at this, almost wincing at the pain shooting from her wound at the action. " I can get it myself." Stansfield raised an eyebrow at her, clearly not agreeing. " Hold out your hands, palms up. " She did as he asked, and he put the tweezers and bottle of anti-septic in her hands. Then he strolled out of the room and she could hear him humming as he went.

Alexa stood there stunned for a few seconds, staring vacantly at the objects in her hands. He actually stepped down? _'This is too weird.'_ Normally she would think the male sex completely incapable of listening to a woman, they all had such large egos. This one though seemed to be completely devoid of any need to go to preposterous length to prove that he was right(like a lot of men do).

She shook the strange thoughts off and put the tools down and removed her shirt. Standing in front of the full length mirror in the bathroom made her realize how serious her situation was. The wound was not just red, but also blue, violet and the entry wound had an alarming shade of yellow. Alexa prodded it very carefully and almost cried out in pain, biting her lower lip to keep it in. _'Suck it up, Alex! You can do this.'_ Dousing a cotton ball in anti-septic she put it against the wound, groaning in pain as it stung horribly. She didn't even take notice of her white-knuckled grip on the sink to keep standing. Forcing herself to look at the wound she prepared another cotton ball, this time with more fluid, and pressed it to the wound so the anti-septic could enter the wound properly. She nearly fell over. Suddenly she felt a warm clothed chest against her back and big hands grabbing her shoulders to keep her steady. Leaning against the form behind her she didn't even think of who it was, only that a hand was removing hers and the cotton from the wound, relieving her pain in the process.

" Stupid woman. Pride can't remove a bullet, can it? " This time she couldn't keep the shiver at bay and her whole body shuddered at the sound of his voice so close, even if he was obviously scolding her attitude. She opened her eyes,( when had she closed them?), and he manoeuvred her so that she was leaning with her back against the sink. Grabbing her hands he put them to rest on the sink behind her and he took the tweezers. Assessing the wound for a few seconds he suddenly, without further ado, plunged the tweezers into the wound going directly for the bullet. Alexa let out something between a choked back scream and a whimper, a painful sound all together, but Stansfield kept searching for the small piece of metal. She tried to grab his shoulder in a half-hearted and subconscious attempt to make him stop but he grabbed her hand and put it back against the sink which she grabbed as if her life depended on it.

Finally she felt something move inside the wound and this time she couldn't suppress the small scream from escaping as she felt the tweezers grab the bullet. She felt the metal scraping the walls of the wound on it's way out and breathed out in relief when she felt it leave the wound completely. The clink of the bullet hitting the sink hit her ears like she was underwater and she barely heard Stansfield calling her name before she felt herself slip into unconsciousness. The last thing she knew was strong arms around her back and legs, and the tunes of one of her favourite songs echoing through her memory as her body hit the mattress.

"_Let me fall out the window_

_With confetti in my hair_

_Deal out jacks or better_

_On a blanket by the stairs_

_I'll tell you all my secrets_

_But I lie about my past_

_So send me off to bed forever more."_

* * *

__Oh an please review! Your opinions on how I've managed Stan's personality are very important to get a good portrayal. (He is very difficult to write!)


	6. Welcome Amigo

Sorry this chapter is so short, but I felt like posting it nonetheless. :) Enjoy!

* * *

**Welcome Amigo**

Song is: Welcome Amigo by Rick Garcia(Rango)

"_Welcome Amigo, to the land without end._

_The desert and Death are the closest of friends._

_We sing of his courage in magnificent song, pay close attention - he won't be here long." _

The following day Alexa awoke alone to the rays of the sun slithering through the light blue curtains. Her head ached horribly and her throat and side hurt. When she moved about though she could feel clean bandages against her skin as they slid across the sheets. Sheets? It took Alexa a moment to fully comprehend that she was in fact lying in a bed. A large soft bed, and she couldn't for the life of her remember how she got there.

She lifter her left hand to move the cover aside and saw that even her burn had a thin but secure bandage on it. Thoughts flying through her head on why Stansfield had bothered kept her mind preoccupied while she attempted to slowly sit up until she was almost up. Searing pain stabbed at her side and she bit her lower lip as she pushed her body upright, her feet now resting against the pleasant wooden floor. Looking around she saw a number of paintings on the walls, curtains, a clean floor and the sheets in the bed smelled clean. How could such an unpleasant man live in such a pleasant home? _'It even looks better than my own place' _Alexa found herself thinking grudgingly.

Gingerly she rose to her feet, stepping over to the window and parting the curtains that reminded her of something. Outside the sky was a brilliant blue with feathery clouds traversing above her and she spent a few moments watching the birds fly over New York City. She had never really had an opportunity to see the city from a view such as this. It made her feels small, and she suddenly remembered where she was.

Alexa's gaze flickered to the door that lead to the living room, considering it for a second before walking over and turning the handle and stepping forward slightly as she fully expected it to open. It did not. Alexa almost slammed her nose into it when it didn't cooperate and she tried it again, a bit more firmly. Not a budge. The third time she insistently pushed at it while turning the handle, but in her hand she could feel that the door was locked shut. Taking a deep breath she steadied her injured side before bellowing though the door. "STANSFIELD!" She waiter a few seconds before pounding the door a few times. Ear against the door Alexa listened intently, utterly focused. It took her approximately two minutes to realize that the condo was empty, save for herself.

Turning around she slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor, looking around the room in irritation. The bastard had locked her in! The nerve of that man! Wasn't it enough for him to just lock the front door like everyone else? But it would seem that Stansfield was anything but like everyone else, something that put Alexa on edge. Who knew what he was capable of? He had already managed to damage And rescue her, both in the span of 48 hours.

Sighing at her poor stroke of luck she hung her head, resting her chin upon her sternum, and it was then that Alexa realized that she was only clad in a pair of men's boxers(that was almost comfortable in that odd sort of way), the bandages around her ribcage and her black lace bra. Cheeks flaming with a mixture of deep embarrassment and pure rage she rose once more to kick at the door in her anger, letting out a small portion of the frustration inside, but saving some for when Stansfield would return. And she knew he would, after all he owned the place. _'He owns you' _a small voice inside her whispered, but she refused to acknowledge the thought.

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, calming her mind to the set of calculative coldness that she used when she cracked safes. Opening them up again she started her search for something useful, and was rewarded almost instantly. Or, rewarded or rewarded. What she found hanging off of a chair to her right by the window was a discarded white dress shirt, clearly men's size _'Gee Alex, what else could it be?'_ Upon closer inspection of said shirt it turned out to be an Armani. Eyebrows practically sticking out from the top of her head like horns Alexa softly stroked the cloth and it yielded pleasantly at her touch, the finely weaved fabric smooth and soothing on her skin. Looking left and right out of habit, she finally shrugged her shoulders and put it on, not thinking much further on the subject of it's origin as it slipped easily up her arms. It was oddly cozy, the long sleeves reaching just past her fingertips and the bottom of the shirt reaching about mid-thigh. Discrete pearly white buttons went way past her hipbones and the garment fit almost like a dress on Alexa's almost petite frame. She smiled softly at the quaintness of the whole thing.

Then the routine state of mind returned and she started searching for the flaws in the security of the room, like one would examine the lock on the safe before you decide on a technique with which to open it. The door was out of the question, she was too weak to even think of breaking it down. Window? Alexa parted the curtains with a flourish and was temporarily blinded by the sun. From the looks of it's position it was around noon, or at least midday. The window was, of course, locked. She was about to pound on the window itself before she looked down and realized she was at least six stories up. In the end she climbed up on the wide windowsill and fell asleep in the sun, leaning against the high glass, dreaming of music and the colour blue. This was how Stan found her six hours later, asleep against the window as the lights of New York cast a soft warm glow on her pale skin.

"_As the birds pluck his eyes, the sun bleaches his bones._

_See his entrails get scattered, watch him lose his cajones, ay yay!..._

_(Spoken) Here in the Mojave Desert, animals have had millions of years to adapt to the harsh environment. But the lizard? _

_He is going to die."_


	7. Only your Life

Yet another chapter about our beloved Stan and Alexa!

Song: Moment of Madness by Katie Melua

* * *

Only your Life

"_A moment of madness_

_It's happened before_

_It could turn into sadness or a civil war_

_You've got me changing all I ever thought"_

Alexa woke up with her left temple pressed against the cold window, her wound throbbing from being in an uncomfortable position too long. Her right hand went to drag through her head but when she moved to lift it her skin brushed against warm cloth instead of cold air. Her eyes settled on the beige thing covering her legs as well as parts of her arms. She lifted it to get a better look of it and at the same moment she realized what it was a distinctively male smell hit her nose. Not a bad smell, just definitely manly. _'Stan...Wait,wait, hold a phone! STANSFIELD! Never "Stan." Jeez girl, wake up already!'_ She really had not woken up yet. But why did she have Stansfield's probably very expensive suit jacket over her? _'He must have come home while I slept.'_

That thought worried and enraged her. She should have stayed awake to kick his ass as soon as he entered that door! Said door was now wide open. Alexa pursed her lips in determination. _'No matter, I can kick it now.'_ Grabbing the jacket she gingerly rose to her feet, muscles stretching uncomfortably as she walked through the door into what she chose to call the living room. Looking around she saw large windows, the door to the bathroom from the day before, _'horrible, embarrassing, thought'_, a separate room behind a wall, probably the kitchen, and to her right was a large grand piano that she had somehow missed the day before. She smiled slightly at the sight of it, and upon closer inspection discovered it was an old Steinway. A bit rough around the edges but it looked like a lovely instrument. A smooth voice interrupter her admiration.

"It was my mother's." Alexa whirled around at a speed that would impress any ballet dancer to see Stansfield leaning in the doorway leading to the kitchen. The look on his face stopped any further questions that bubbled up in Alexa's mind. _'Something is wrong here'_ He looked at her so intently she could only stand there gaping like a fish until he caught sight of the forgotten jacket in her hand. She followed his gaze, almost feeling as if she herself had forgotten what she held on to. A menacing but simultaneously gentle grin spread across his lips. _'How does he do that?!'_ "Sleep well?" Alexa swallowed and nodded, worrying her lower lip. He smiled wider, like a shark. "Good." This time his tone was easy, too light to be fully normal. He still hadn't shaved since last she saw him, the slight beard and moustache giving him a rugged look. And, having obviously removed his jacket, he still wore beige pants and white dress shirt. Averting her eyes Alexa suddenly found the hem of his jacket very interesting, his close scrutiny unnerving her more than any kind of violence ever could. His lips were still twitching slightly every now and then, as if he thought of something that tickled him slightly but not enough to smile fully.

"_A smiling assassin_

_The demon within"_

All of a sudden an alarm sounded from the kitchen, breaking the unbearable tension. Stansfield's face took on a pleased look, turning to walk into the kitchen. " You like pasta?" Okay, now Alexa was thoroughly confused, she couldn't resist following him. The sight that met her made her eyebrows practically raise till they were hovering above her head like a cartoon character's. " You cook? I mean, you Actually cook?!" Believe it or not, Alexa had never Ever dated a man who could cook. She'd heard rumours they existed but never put any deep faith in them. Here was the proof to prove her wrong. Stan looked at her oddly, now openly amused. " Problem?" Alexa narrowed her eyes at him. " Men don't cook. " He chuckled, the sound rippling through Alexa's body like a river, teasing something searingly hot inside her abdomen. " Well, Alexa Rivers, I do."

She flinched at hearing her full name from his lips, it suddenly flowed in an entirely new way. She frowned. "I keep forgetting you're a cop. " While she had been frowning he had poured off the spaghetti and mixed it with some bacon and something else she didn't quite know what it was. " If that's your way of asking if I've read the file we have on you, then yes, I have. And oh what an interesting file it is. You have quite the colorful past, my dear. " Alexa instinctively took a step back. " Well, what did it say?" Stan looked at her tense stature, eyebrows furrowing. " Nothing too incriminating." He turned and stepped towards her, pointing at her with a spoon. " What did you think it would say?" It was only then that Alexa realized her mistake that she had unwittingly alerted him of something she feared. Stan looked suddenly very serious and came closer. Alexa stod stock still in the middle of his kitchen. " Aah, they missed something didn't they? " He stood at a close distance now, like a good friend or, heavens forbid, a lover might. _'Shit. He's taller than me.'_ The hand with the spoon raised slowly to trace the rounded part of the cool metal, gently, against her cheek. " You got a criminal past, little Alexa Rivers?" She managed, heroically, to suppress a shiver as he spoke.

"_Endorphins are raging_

_Resistance is thin"_

Stan seemed to be waiting for something, it was as if he could sense that she was close to her first breaking point. Not her deepest downfall, but enough to maybe spill the beans about her past. He had sensed it when he read her file, it was hiding something. Or she would clam up even more, it could go either way. But that was the fun of it.

His eyes watched her entire face and the upper part of her chest around her collarbone. The spoon trailed past her jaw bone and down the side of her throat, Stan now so very close, she could feel his breath against the skin around her collarbone. This time she was defenceless when the spoon hit a certain point on her skin and her whole body shuddered violently and her eyes closed at the sensation. Stan put his free left hand against her hip to steady her and she grabbed at his arm, his jacket forgotten on the floor beside her. This happened only for a few seconds before her eyes flew open in panic only to be met by a vicious smirk. He had won.

Alexa shoved him off of her but even when he'd let go she could feel his palm print burning on her hip, her breathing suddenly somewhat ragged, pulse beating like a drum in her ear. She suddenly felt very angry. " What am I doing here? Huh? Why here?! This is where you live for fucks sake! Why would you keep me HERE?! Only an idiot, a major imbecile, would take that risk! So why, why?!" While yelling at him she had closed in on him and for once it was he who was against the wall. It was short lived however, and Alexa failed to see the cold rage that spread like wildfire through his ice blue eyes.

"_You know I'm not asking a lot,_

_Only your life,_

_I don't want to get what I want,_

_But I'm willing to try,_

_And I'm gonna ask you to stop,_

_But I'm full of lies"_

Three red seconds later she found herself against the wall, his right hand clasping her entire lower face as his body towered over her, boxing her in and his left resting against the wall behind her. Only the clattering of the spoon against the floor could be heard. It was Stan's turn to breathe like a raged lunatic and he wanted to yell at her, frighten her, simply be angry with her, but the usual repertoire of scathing words he usually threw at people who pissed him off royally seemed to have vanished. Instead he settled for whatever came to mind, leaning down to hiss calmly in her ear, not missing the way she tensed up. _'Odd.' _" I keep you HERE because it is the only place I know you can't escape from. Now I know that you are not stupid, you crack safes every day, you would have no difficulty cracking people. But I'm not people, sweetheart. I'm like you."

And with that he released her, leaving her in the kitchen to collect herself while he moved the pasta and some plates into the living room, calling to her over his shoulder, " I hope you like pasta carbonara!", his tone back to the easy melody that picked at her insides like a hot poker. Alexa rubbed at her sore jaw, it would probably bruise. It was now that Alexa Rivers understood just how deep in shit she had landed herself, all because of the smooth voice of a madman.

"_And you're blowing my mind_

'_Cause I find that your theories of life_

_Are insane, feed my brain_

_I could listen all night_

_I can't leave till we kiss_

_It's a moment of madness"_

* * *

Please review guys! Let me hear your thoughts :)


	8. Be Still With Me

Just a short chapter, it's all I've got time for at the moment. Blame my school, not me!

Enjoy! And please review!

Song: Cat People(Putting out the fire) - David Bowie

* * *

"_See these eyes so green_

_I can stare for a thousand years_

_Colder than the moon_

_It's been so long"_

"Eventually, people will start looking for me, you know." Stan looked at the woman who was looking out the window, down at the streets where the bustling movements of life took place every day, ignorant of her imprisonment. He felt a small needle prick at his heart when he thought of the words that would come out of his mouth in the next two seconds.

" No they won't." She turned her head to look at him.

" What do you mean?" Suspicion laced her voice before her eyes widened. " What did you do?" He smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes.

" I signed you up for a vacation. You haven't had one in years, according to your records. You're off for at least six weeks, and then you still have a few sick days left to use. So no, no one will think it odd if you don't show up for work for a while. " His voice had an almost innocent tone to it, the key word here being _almost_. Nothing about Norman Stansfield was ever completely innocent.

It had been almost a week since he brought her to his home. The third day he had gone back to her apartment and packed everything that he thought she might want, like clothes, toiletries, etc. Boring stuff, but it had made the ice in Alexa's eyes melt just slightly. His lips twitched at the memory. She had just been swearing him to hell and back when he abruptly dropped the bag in front of her and left to do something else. She had yet to say thank you. He giggled slightly behind his newspaper at the memory.

" You. You have the audacity to Giggle?! I'll be stuck here for lord knows how long, it's even quite probable that I'll never get leave at all, ever, and you sit there GIGGLING! Shame on you, you-you- you quartz brained MAGGOT!" She ripped the paper from his hands and tore it to pieces in anger, feeling the need to disturb his existence in return, even if just slightly. It could be ages before anyone noticed she was gone! Who would be there to notice if not her colleagues at work? She was doomed, and she knew it.

Stan leaned back and looked at her for a few minutes while she leaned against the window, both hands propping her up. He rose slowly, walking towards her cautiously, like one would close in on a wounded animal. _'Which she is in a way'. _When he was right behind her he put both hands on her thin shoulders, they felt bony beneath his palms and ragged breaths wracked her body as she struggled to cope. He felt her stiffen further when his fingers secured his grip but he didn't move further, standing comfortably still as he looked down at the street over her shoulder.

" I think I understand why you are so...upset over my little vacation plan." Alexa scoffed.

" Oh yeah? "

" Yeah. I do."

" Well enlighten me then." Stan hummed amusedly at her irritation, letting his chin rest on the top of her black-blue tresses.

" You're upset because no one will notice you're gone. Isn't that right? Sweetheart?" At that word, that single endearment, Alexa knew just how much trouble she was in. While he was speaking Stan let his hands stroke down over her shoulders, smoothing the short sleeves of her green t-shirt down and then stroking down the skin of her lower arms to finally find purchase around her wrists, his fingers closing around them in a warm secure grip, a grip that could tighten in an instant if she made the wrong move. " I knew when I visited your apartment. No plans in the calender, just work work work. No photos of you and your friends at some party or other event." His nose nuzzled her ear. " No family pictures. You're all alone in the world." He was a snake, slithering around her, whispering seductive deceptive nothings in her ear. Or a spider, weaving his sticky web around an innocent fly. Alexa jolted suddenly and started thrashing against his now restraining hands.

" Get away from me asshole!" He pulled her wrists down, pinning then against her own body with one arm and with the other hand he grasped her chin, forcing her gaze to the street below.

" Look at that. All those people walking past every day, boyfriends, girlfriends, mothers, fathers, families. But not you. You don't have any family down there. No boyfriend that will come to your rescue." Alexa struggled against his grip but he held firm, using his body to pin her against the glass. It seemed they stood there for a long time, Alexa trying desperately to break free until she wore herself out. Her wound throbbed, even if it was healing nicely it was still sensitive.

"_See these eyes so red_

_Red like jungle burning bright_

_Those who feel me near_

_Pull the blinds and change their minds_

_It's been so long"_

"Why are you all alone, Alexa?" Said woman was breathing heavily by now, her head held up by Stan. She closed her eyes. Breathing for a minute she opened them again, a new layer of steel coating them.

" I could ask you the same. _Norman_. Why are YOU all alone? This condo barely looks lived in, you never talk on the phone with anyone other than people from work, I know I eavesdropped, and the only trace of another person is the piano which you say was your mother's. Otherwise, it's just you , isn't it?" The man behind her was very still. Alexa got the feeling she had said too much. Way too much. She closed her eyes, expecting him to lash out in anger at any moment now. But instead of hurting her, she felt the arm trapping her own against her waist soften around her, just holding gently. The hand holding her chin slid down to hold onto her shoulder so his arm crossed her chest. His answer came whispered in her ear.

" I'm like you." and with those words Alexa relaxed and rested on of her hands on his arm circling her waist. Stan rested his head on the top of hers, both looking out at the hordes of people traversing the busy streets of New York, neither of them knowing quite what was happening or what they were going to do about it.

"_See these tears so blue_

_An ageless heart that can never mend_

_These tears can never dry_

_A judgement made can never bend_

_See these eyes so green_

_I can stare for a thousand years_

_Just be still with me_

_You wouldn't believe what I've been thru"_


End file.
